The Secret Ingredient
by Concolor44
Summary: Kim would love to know what makes Shego's cooking so amazing, but try as she might, she can't figure out the secret. One-shot Kigo. Rated for implied and suggestive activities.


**The Secret Ingredient**

By Concolor44

. . .

. . .

_(Author's Note: I've been reading Kim Possible stories for kind of a long time. There are several in my Favorites list (the Girl Who Can Do Anything has some truly stellar authors ... Failte200's unparalleled epic "Alone, Together" comes quickly to mind) but to date my Muse hadn't gifted me with a story of my own. Grateful I am that she has finally relented._

_Disclaimer: I have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with Disney, who is the sole owner of the Kim Possible franchise, and will sic their flesh-eating lawyers on anyone who treads on their copyrighted turf. To that end I disavow all connection with the "Kim Possible Universe" and state for the record that I receive no remuneration for this story, that it is being written solely for the pleasure of creation, and that the incidental mention of Bobby Flay is semi-autobiographical in nature. The man is a genius who deserves more recognition than he has received.)_

. . .

. . .

_7:40am_

"Are you serious?"

"I don't have the time. Neither do you."

"But I love it when you –"

"Forget it."

"Really? No eggs?" asked Kim incredulously. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Shoulda got up sooner if you wanted me to get elaborate. You need to get goin'. Grab a leftover waffle."

Making her eyes as large and as luminous as possible, the redhead whined, "Pleeeease? It won't take you long."

"Kim," stated the brunette in a flat voice, "Your puppy-dog pout ain't workin' today. I'm NOT gonna be the one responsible for you bein' late."

"But … I don't need anything fancy! Just, you know, your regular eggs. You don't even have to fix toast."

"Cook 'em yourself … when you get back." Shego gave her girlfriend-of-almost-a-year a light shove toward the front door. "Because if you think for one second I'd risk having Betty come down hard on me again –"

"Oh, for cryin' out loud! One time! I'm late for a rendezvous one stinkin' time and suddenly everything's my fault!"

"GJ doesn't tolerate anything less than perfection. I know that. You know that. Or at least I thought you did. We discussed it when they made the offer and you jumped on it and I said you were nuts."

"It's a strategy meeting! No big! Betty said it wouldn't even last an hour."

"Well you'd best not miss any of it, it being so short and all."

"OOHHHHHHH!"

Shego stuck something in Kim's hand. "Nosh on that while you anticipate a real meal."

Kim raised the object and grumped, "Gee, Hon, an apple. So thoughtful. You have my eternal gratitude." Shego could have painted a wall with sarcasm that thick.

Guiding her out the door and toward the waiting limo, the older woman answered, "Go to your meeting. Make Betty happy. Come back home. You'll get your eggs."

"Promise?"

The look she gave Kim put paid to any further response. Appropriately cowed, she hopped in the limo. Shego watched until they were out of sight, smiling a little to herself.

. . .

. . .

_9:10am_

Kim practically ricocheted off the door jamb when she burst into the house. "I'm home!"

Looking up over the top of her novel from where she lounged on their couch, Shego said, "So I see." And she went back to reading.

The area rug bunched up under Kim's sudden skidding assault as she went to her knees in front of the older woman. "Come on, Shay! Please? You said I'd get my eggs."

A page turned. "I didn't say when."

Kim's lips pursed in irritation, but then a small, secret smile made its careful way onto her face. Shego was stretched out, her long, toned legs propped on the far arm and crossed at the ankle, shown off to excellent effect by the tight, black short-shorts she wore. She was smokin' hot and she knew it, and didn't mind one bit when other people noticed. Kim dropped a soft fingertip to the top of her girlfriend's thigh; slowly and lightly she dragged a nail down to the knee, circled the kneecap twice and drifted around to the underside.

Shego's breath hitched.

Kim's grin grew. She knew every sensitive spot that light green skin possessed. The fingernail ghosted its way down the inside of Shego's calf; another joined it to surround the ankle bone; they tickled lightly and then meandered down along the instep and out to her bare toes.

Shego's book fell to the floor. Her head had already lolled back onto the armrest.

Kim played with the ends of the other woman's toes for a few seconds, then backed away and stood.

With a low, rattling moan, Shego focused on Kim. "You stopped," she said plaintively.

"Yup."

"Do the other leg?"

"Fix my eggs and I'll do a lot more than that."

"Deal." Drawing a couple of deep breaths, the ex-villainess centered herself and rose shakily to her feet. "Can't promise I won't walk crooked in the meantime."

"That's okay. I'll catch you if you tip over."

They walked into the kitchen. Kim zipped over to the refrigerator and scored a carton of eggs and a small tub of sour cream, and took them over to Shego. Meanwhile, the older woman got out a large skillet and poured a couple of teaspoons of oil into it, setting the temperature to low-medium. She pulled a cutting board out of its slot and said over her shoulder, "We got any onion in the fridge?"

"I think so." Kim went back and rummaged in the cheese drawer. "Oh, cheese. Right. Forgot that." She snaked a package of aged white cheddar out of the drawer, along with half an onion in a ZipLoc. She took them to Shego, who was already in the process of slicing a few Portabella mushrooms. "Oh, man! Going all out?"

"Hey, I made you wait, even if it was for your own good, and I want you to be properly grateful when you work on my legs."

"Yes, Ma'am, Miz Sharon, Ma'am!"

Shego chopped the onion and dumped it and the mushrooms into the pan with a slight sizzle. Very soon, an enticing aroma filled the kitchen.

Kim leaned against the counter, drew in a long breath through her nose, and sighed. "You really do spoil me."

"Nice work if you can get it." She broke six eggs into a mixing bowl, added a generous dollop of sour cream and three pinches of salt, and then whisked it for all she was worth. The small bits of sour cream didn't easily blend into the eggs, and had to be encouraged.

While she was doing that, Kim moved the onion-mushroom mixture around the pan, turning things a few times and taking a deep, appreciative sniff.

Relieving her of that task, Shego finished the sauté and scooped the result out onto two plates, which Kim covered with a small bowl each. Then Shego poured the egg mixture into the skillet. It bubbled and hissed ever so slightly. She turned the heat down to low and took up her spatula, pushing the yellow puddle around and around. Kim watched her, fascinated.

After a minute, Shego asked, "What are you looking for? Signs from the gods?"

Kim's eyes came up to meet hers. "Huh?"

"You're watching that pan like it's the Oracle at Delphi."

"I'm just tryin' to see what you're doing that I don't do."

"I don't believe that's something you can see. It's talent. You have to feel it."

"Now you're just being cryptic." She pointed at the pan. "You've told me a hundred times that this is as easy as falling off a log, but I've never been able to duplicate your results, and now you're getting all metaphysical on me? What's up with that?"

Shego just smiled and continued agitating the eggs. A few minutes passed in relative silence. The mixture thickened, clumped, and gained a measure of fluffy solidity under her constant attention. When they started steaming faintly and Shego was sure they had firmed up just enough, she had Kim remove the bowls and then scooped the contents of the pan onto the sautéed veggies. She then used a fine-pitch grater to lightly cover the top of the eggs with sharp cheddar. Turning, she presented one plate to Kim, who received it gleefully.

At the table, they sat, gave each other eager looks, and dug in. Both of them gave small, ecstatic moans.

"I love onions," observed Kim. "Definitely one of nature's better efforts."

"Not to mention mushrooms. Sometimes I'd rather have pan-fried Portabellas than a steak."

"And you treat them with such respect!"

Shego grinned at her lover.

A couple of bites later, Kim closed her eyes over a particularly toothsome morsel and sighed, "You make the world's best eggs."

"Thank Bobby Flay. He taught me how."

"Then you're the world's best student." She popped another forkful of the yellow near-confection into her mouth and closed her eyes in bliss. "I am completely spoiled on your eggs. I can't order them in a restaurant anymore. They just don't measure up."

"Thanks. I agree."

They polished off their breakfast and cleaned up. Then Kim shot her lover a sidelong glance and held out her hand. Shego took it, allowing herself to be tugged toward their bedroom.

. . .

. . .

_10:55am_

Though sweat still glistened on bare skin, their breathing had almost returned to normal. Shego didn't quite gasp as she whispered, "You … really … outdid yourself … that time."

"Inspiration, Sweetie," answered the redhead. "A breakfast like that gets me supercharged." She giggled. "It might happen more often with the right incentives."

"Is that a bribe?"

"Depends. Is it working?"

"You have no idea how well."

Kim grinned and moved up so she could nibble the top of Shego's ear. "It's a win-win as far as I'm concerned." Stretching one sumptuous leg and wiggling her toes, Kim gave vent to a mighty yawn and snuggled up against her mate. "I hear a nap calling me."

Shego ran her fingers gently through the fiery red mass lying on her shoulder, drawing random patterns against Kim's scalp. The smaller woman nearly purred. "You're too good to me."

"Funny. That's just what I was thinking about you."

"Guess we're lucky that way." Her eyes stayed closed and her lips stayed curled in a satiated smile.

A low, melodic hum rumbled Shego's chest as she continued to play with Kim's hair.

"That's really sweet, Shay."

"Hmm."

She yawned again. "Gonna hafta show me how t'do y'r eggs one o' these days."

"Nah. Can't reveal my secret ingredient. I need a few secrets, don't you think?"

"Hmm."

Emerald eyes tracked Kim as she sank into slumber to the wordless lullaby. Shego watched her tenderly, avidly, tracing the outline of her ear with a soothing finger, then following the curve of her lower lip. She leaned over and buried her face in the red locks, breathing deeply of her scent, floral conditioner overlaid with the heady musk of their lovemaking. When Kim's relaxed, even breathing proved her to be asleep, Shego placed a light kiss on her forehead, murmuring, "I'll tell you my secret ingredient, Princess."

Kim never stirred.

"It's love." She pressed her eyelids closed, but her joyful tears wouldn't be denied. "Every time I stir the eggs back and forth, I think about how much I love you. So when you taste my cooking, you're tasting my love. That's why you won't be able to make 'em the way I do." She smoothed a stray lock out of Kim's face, kissed her cheek, kissed her eyes, and sighed. "You're my world, Pumpkin." She noted where a few of her tears had landed on her lover's face, and carefully wiped them away. "I need for you to know that. You have no idea how much I need you. You're like air, only sweeter. And I wish I could tell you this while you're awake, but one look into your perfect eyes, and all the crap I put you through over the years crowds around me and my tongue is a maze of knots. It's something of a miracle that I can say 'I love you' as often as I do. And that's all you, babe. It's all you." She touched her forehead to Kim's, worked an arm underneath her waist, and pulled them as close together as she could. "So I cook for you, and make love to you, and pretend to be flippant, but sometimes … sometimes I can't keep it in."

Kim expelled a soft sigh and settled into Shego's shoulder.

"Maybe someday I'll be able to say this to you when you can hear me. Or maybe I'll write it all down and leave it where you can find it. But until I can build my courage up, I'll just have to show you how much I love you … and hope you understand."

Safe in her mate's arms, it wasn't many minutes before Shego drifted off as well. She began snoring softly.

Kim opened one eye, regarding the older woman solemnly. "That's okay," she whispered. "I can wait 'til you're ready. I'm not going anywhere." She worked her head into the space between Shego's chin and collarbone, and settled down for a nap … this time, for real.

. . .

. . .

_End Note: So ... all comments welcome. I'd like to know what you thought of it, either way. Also, you really should try that egg recipe. The secret, if you want to call it that, is to keep the eggs moving constantly, and cook them on low heat. It takes longer, but it REALLY is worth it. And use high-quality cheese, not that pre-sliced-and-individually-wrapped plastic crap. Cabot New York White Cheddar works well. So does smoked Gouda._

_Concolor_


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